Her Strength
by panickedfish
Summary: The Divine Wind had always known that her Knight would one day leave Selphia.


**author's note - **I own nothing but Forte is technically my wife so

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It was a warm spring day in Selphia when Forte decided that today was the day. Like usual, she woke up early and began her training in the front yard of the house she shared with her younger brother, Kiel.

_Now that Prince Lest has defeated the Sechs empire and Etherbert, there's nothing here left for me to fight. I need to adventure elsewhere._

Forte thought her plan through. She knew it was time for her to leave Selphia and seek her fortune elsewhere.

She tied up her hair and began swinging her sword. Behind the front door, she heard Kiel stomping around inside the house, no doubt looking for his favourite book again. Forte wondered if the Prince Lest was also awake at this early hour.

_I need to be strong to protect him._

Ventuswill had returned. Forte was pleased to have played a small role in returning the Native Dragon to her rightful place in Selphia's castle. When it had come to the final battle, however, Prince Lest had told her to remain with the villagers, choosing instead to take along two of his strongest monsters to confront the enemy.

Forte blushed slightly when she thought about how perhaps Prince Lest's decision had come from his concern over her safety. He knew that she could protect herself but he still wanted to keep her from danger. That was supposed to count for something, right?

Forte pushed romantic thoughts aside whirled around, swinging her heavy sword. The blade swished, slashed and cut, and Forte exhaled with every exertion. The sky was overcast and within a few minutes of her training she felt as though she was strong enough to cut through the clouds themselves.

Kiel walked outside the house at 11 and wished Forte a good morning.

"It's hardly morning?" The blonde knight replied, always amazed at Kiel's ability to stay inside and read the day away. "The day's practically half over."

"Whatever." Kiel smiled, used to his sister's seriousness. "How was training?"

Forte wiped her brow and sheathed her sword. "Good enough. For now I think I might take a bath."

Kiel nodded, told her that he was going to visit Arthur (and the elf's library). As he walked away, Forte returned to her house for a quick bite of cake before heading to the baths.

"Aaaahhhhh," the knight exhaled as she leaned back against the waterfall. She felt the heavy rain cascade over her shoulders, easing the taught muscles. It was nice to pamper herself every once in a while, and she wanted to be well-rested and looking good for her journey.

A knot of worry appeared in her stomach as she toweled off from the baths, relieved that no one was there to see her in her swimsuit. She hadn't told Prince Lest of her plans yet. As she changed back into her clothes, which had been nicely steamed and cleaned in the meantime, she wondered if she could just disappear. Meg might wonder where she had gone, but Kiel could surely answer her questions. Maybe it would be easier without a long and drawn out farewell—no! Frey caught herself. To do so would be going back on her honour as a knight and protector of the town. It was impossible for her to abandon her duties without saying something first. If nothing else, Prince Lest deserved the chance for a goodbye.

Forte walked from the bathhouse to the castle field where Lest was just finishing his daily farming tasks. He waved as he saw her approach, and pulled out a delicious-looking pink turnip.

"Hi," Forte said.

"Hi," Lest grinned, a royal resident filled with energy. "How's your day?"

"Good." Forte nodded solemnly. "A bit of early morning training does the body good."

Lest rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "I kind of slept in this morning. I don't know why Clorica didn't wake me."

"Maybe she was sleeping herself?" Forte asked. Her tone was serious but when her eyes met Lest's – as well as her heart skipping a beat – she noticed the playfulness that was reflected there.

"You might be right about that," Lest agreed. He put the last of the crops from his rucksack into the shipping bin.

Forte cleared her throat. "I have a um, favour to ask."

Lest stopped and looked at her seriously. "Okay."

"I need to speak to the Great Dragon as well as the Prince."

"Okay," Lest said again. If he was taken aback by her being even more formal than usual, he did not react.

The two paired up and walked through the field towards Ventuswill's chamber.

"Good morning," Ventuswill's voice boomed out. The walls of the room shook slightly and Forte was unable to hold back a grin. The Native Dragon was back to her old self. "What do you require from the Divine Wind?"

"Your Dragonness," Forte bowed. "I request your blessing to leave Selphia."

The chamber fell silent. Forte kept her eyes on the floor but she sensed Prince Lest stiffen beside her. He probably had not expected her to make such a bold declaration. Whatever he thought she needed to tell him and Ventuswill… it wasn't this.

Forte's heart hammered in her chest. This was almost scarier than the ghosts of Obsidian Mansion. She was afraid of disappointing the Dragon, afraid of breaking her Prince's heart. But she knew what needed to be done. And just like a visit to Bell, Bath, and Beyond after a long training session, sometimes it was okay to be selfish. Only after realizing this did Forte summon the courage to look up into Ventuswill's ageless eyes.

"It is okay with me, Forte. I have sensed for a long time that your journey will indeed take you elsewhere. Now what does our Prince think?" Ventuswill asked, shuffling her mighty body to look at the fair-haired man.

Forte followed suit and turned away from the dragon. Her Prince looked dumbstruck, like he had been hit with an enemy's poison and needed para-heal to recover. Forte wanted to take his hand, look into his eyes and tell him (as gently as she could) that this decision was for the best, but she didn't want to make it any more difficult than it was already.

Everyone in the silent chamber knew that no matter the Prince's decision, Forte had already made up her mind.

"Yes." Lest said quietly. "You may go."

Forte was relieved to have his blessing all the same. She nodded, bowed to Ventuswill and turned to leave but Lest stopped her. "On one condition. May I walk you to the gate?"

Forte thought about their first meeting, when she had warned Lest of the dangers that existed beyond the safety of the town. She thought about the way that the two of them had explored Selphia plain and Yokmir forest, and all the new lands that they had mapped on their way to terrible, dark dungeons. She remembered how Lest had always been there to guide her, had always used magic to heal her and never hesitated to escape from battle if an enemy was too powerful. Forte felt a tear forming in the corner of her eye but refused to let it fall.

"I would be honoured, Prince Lest," she answered, feeling her many emotions trapped in the back of her throat. "Yet I am leaving by airship."

Lest stepped forward. "I'll walk you there, then." Venti half-roared in approval and the pair left her chamber for the last time.

As Forte walked a half-step in front of Lest, she refused to look back. Fortunately, they didn't see any other villagers. The sky – cloudy when she had been training—was rapidly turning much darker. She wanted to leave before there was a weather delay.

"Where will you go?" Lest asked from the doorway of her house as Forte grabbed her rucksack from her room. It was heavy, and Forte would be lying if she said it hadn't been already packed for weeks.

Forte considered his question, giving it the attention it needed. In the mean time, she shrugged the pack on her shoulder and the pair walked up the path to Bell, Bath, and Beyond. Forte turned right and walked up to the airship's gate. The pilot waved to her and Forte nodded.

"I don't quite know," she answered truthfully. Though I have heard stories of a tranquil island in the middle of a great sea. How incredible would it be to travel there?"

Forte knew that her eyes must have been misting over with wistfulness because Lest's expression told her that this goodbye was not easy for him either.

"I hope to return to Selphia one day," Forte said by way of goodbye. She didn't know if that was true or not, but hopefully she would make that decision while she was away.

"I'll protect Ventuswill while you're gone," Lest promised.

"She's safe with you."

"Not nearly as safe as she'd be with you," Lest said.

Forte took a step forward and Lest put his arms around her. He breathed into her hair and Forte felt herself blushing. She closed her eyes and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she said, breaking the embrace.

"Take care," Lest said. Breaking with tradition, he bowed to Forte as the knight walked onto the airship. Forte smiled at him and the wind ruffled her soft blonde hair as the ship took her away into the sky from which Lest had fallen all those months ago.

The Prince turned around once the airship was out of sight and walked back to his farm with a bowed head and heavy feet.

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**author's note -** this is my first fic for Rune Factory even though the 4th game has basically taken over my life since October. I will probably write more to this story… if you haven't already guessed it, Forte is headed to Fenith island, where she will meet and train with Mikoto. Both are serious and skilled with a blade but with such different personalities who knows what's going to happen next! Please review! Thanks :)


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